Originally Posted by magiciansampras
I'm going to be driving DC into Manhattan on Friday (don't ask), hopefully around noon or 1pm so I should be able to miss at least some of the traffic.
My question is, are there any long-ways around 95 that would avoid a lot of the potential bad areas, or am I basically stuck with the I-95 Baltimore --> Philly --> NJ --> NYC progression?
You could try 83N to 81N to 78E - it'll be longer, but probably less congested than 95. Friday is a tough day, since a lot of people are leaving work early. I've found rush hour in Philly/S. NJ starts between 1:30 and 2 on a Friday as opposed to 3:30/4 other weekdays.
If you do take 95N, check the traffic when you get to Wilmington, DE - if it's blocked going into Philly/NJ, 476N to the PA Turnpike E is a decent alternate; it will put you right on the NJ Turnpike.